Bolt Neighborhood Blog

What better way to welcome a new baby into the world than with a homemade satin bound quilt. Babies love the feel of satin. It is soft, smooth and cool to the touch. Satin blanket binding, of which we carry a wide variety of colors, comes in pre-cut packages of 4 3/4 yards, the perfect amount to bind a standard size baby blanket or quilt.

Layer the back fabric, batting and top fabric pieces and pin around all sides then cut through all layers to even everything up. I used the fabric's print as a guideline for cutting.

With the top of the quilt facing up, line up your binding with an edge (doesn't matter which one you start with) leaving about 4" extending off the the top edge. Starting about an inch down from the top of the edge, sew your binding on lining it up with the quilts edge and use a 1/2" seam allowance.

When you get near the bottom, near 1/2" to 5/8", stop and backstitch. Then fold your binding like pictured above.

For a stitching guideline, draw two lines like so. For those of you who don't know, this is called mitering.

Stitch over lines. For those of you who don't know, this joining, to create a 90 degree angle is called mitering.

Trim, turn this point out and then pivot the binding and continue to stitch along the next edge, corner and so on. If you are struggling with this, thats ok, just be patient. It took me a while to get the hang of working with this slippery and heavy binding but the beautiful end result is worth the struggle.

After you have the binding sewn onto the top side you will then turn the freed edge of satin binding onto the back side of the quilt and pin and stitch it place, by hand. Use a hidden stitch so it is not visible. However, before you pin and stitch you will need to turn the binding under about a half inch and press.

The hard part is over, phew! Now you may hand quilt however you like, using your preferred thread and technique. I used Perle Cotton and quilted around all the aqua lambs except for the ones nearest the binding.

*Note: If you want the quilting to go right up to where the binding meets, you will want to do all the quilting before you sew on the binding.

If you really like this particular print, you are in luck! We have three different color ways in this adorable print, one with a soft pink background and the other has a light aqua background. This quilt is on display in the shop so come on down and check it out. We can't wait to see you!

We've been a bit slow with getting up the latest and greatest here on the blog. I hope you enjoy this edition of Just In, with its shiny, pretty and modern pieces. We haven't put these beauties in our online store yet, so feel free to give the store a call if you'd like to order any from afar.

New and old colors of metallic Essex from Robert Kaufman and a contemporary silver print from Kokka.

The Mood Guide to Fabric and Fashion has been out since 2015. I had no idea such book existed until several copies just appeared one day at the shop. What is this fine book here before me? It is a book by Mood, that enormous fabric store I once visited in NYC and which is the 'one and only' fabric destination for contestants on the hit tv show, Project Runway. I am a fan of the show, yes.

Can you imagine my excitement? Here is a book, beautiful cover to cover, well organized, all about fabric, designing, and full of great tidbits, it literally made my day. I feel like us new age sewing people have been craving a modern fabric resource like this for years, if not decades.

It features a timeline of fabric history. Did you know that roller printing came about in the year 1785 and that this method of printing fabric is the one most commonly used today? There is also a cool map showing where certain fabric types are commonly produced.

Each substrate has a dedicated section which explores types within that category along with great tips on working with that fabric type.

Inspiring quotes by big named designer's and past Project Runway contestants are sprinkled throughout and the photos presented, are colorful and detailed eye candy, for all us drooling fabric lovers.

Mood's shop dog, Swatch, is featured in the book too! I love Swatch, he was very kind in helping me locate the knits when I visited Mood.

This book is so elegantly done and I urge anyone who sews, newbies and skilled alike, to pick one up as a great resource to have on hand and as a treasure to keep forever and ever.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful book as much as I do and hope to see you soon.